Justice Tinney ruled Stuart Lee had shown no remorse for the murder of Colin Bainbridge. Image source: ABC News.

A former Australian Army reservist has been sentenced to 35 years behind bars for killing his neighbour by setting him on fire.

Stuart Lee was sentenced in the Supreme Court on Thursday after pleading guilty earlier this year to one count of murder.

In March 2023, the 65-year-old threw petrol on his neighbour, 66-year-old Colin Bainbridge, and lit him on fire after a land-clearing dispute between the two men at Wheatsheaf, a rural area about 100 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.

Mr Bainbridge suffered burns to 70 per cent of his body and later died in hospital.

Stuart Lee set his neighbour on fire at his Wheatsheaf property in March 2023. Image source: ABC News.

Supreme Court Justice Andrew Tinney told the court Lee's shocking and heartless crimes on a completely innocent and unsuspecting victim were beyond human contemplation.

Despite a guilty plea, Justice Tinney said Lee had shown no remorse.

He also dismissed evidence that Lee was psychotic at the time of offending, telling the court Lee was a sad, angry, embittered person whose sole intention was to maim Mr Bainbridge and teach him a lesson he would never forget.

The court heard Lee had a history of delusional and paranoid ideas about his neighbours and in a separate incident in 2021, threatened to pour petrol over another neighbour.

Lee was convicted in the Ballarat Magistrates Court of one charge of making a threat to kill in relation to that offence.

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Killer called police​

The court heard that in the lead-up to Mr Bainbridge's murder, Lee called police five times, telling an officer if they did not come, he would murder his neighbours.

Lee then doused Mr Bainbridge in petrol, lit him on fire, returned home, and called the police again to report he'd had an altercation with his neighbour.

The court heard Lee told police he lit Mr Bainbridge on fire in an act of self-defence.

Justice Tinney ruled Lee had fabricated the narrative that Mr Bainbridge had threatened him with a chainsaw on multiple occasions.

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"I do not accept that you were ever in fear," Justice Tinney told the court.

"Your indignant anger overcame your clear understanding of the wrongfulness of your actions and you committed murder," Justice Tinney said.

"Your heartless and cruel actions have damaged the family grievously and permanently."

Lee has already served 835 days of his sentence and will be eligible for parole in 27 years.

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[Caron]

Finally a jail term to fit the crime. This man should die in jail.

 

[PattiB]

I will never understand how anyone can set fire to another person. It sounds unbearably cruel. I hope that this particular man rots in jail.

 

[HelenB55]

Bring back the Death Penalty…. An eye for an eye.

Too many heartless people are getting away with not much justice given to them.

This guy might have to serve a long time in jail but he will be fed, clothed, have television etc…

More like a having a holiday for the crime he committed.

 

[Morgans Orchard]

Caron I agree with you some of the sentences do not fit the crimes watched ABC news last night wher the 2 men in W A were sentenced to LIFE for killing 10 year old aboriginal boy with blows to head from metal bars from shopping trolley . 29 year old the judge said showed no remorse but will be out on parole after about 22 years or whatever didn’t show any prospects of being rehabilitated . The younger one would be out on parol earlier . I felt so sorry for the poor mother of the child she was crying thanking the police officers etc . I would have been saying I want the sentences appealed not long enough ! Probably the 2 prisoners will appeal and most likely get it reduced mental health etc I was crying too I felt so sorry for her .LIFE to me should never be released you die there and I hope they suffer mor than the people they murder . Another case is where the man and woman were locked in metal case alive and thrown in dam weighted down with cement . I will probably get jumped on for saying this but BRING back the death penalty . when people have proven without a doubt guilty . I know people have been proven guilty without a body .One case in Hobart when lady was charged for murdering husband on boat . Believe she got 26 years for that out on parol now . I myself never did think she was guilty. The funeral for the policeman in Devonport was on abc news last night first police officer to be killed in the line of duty in over 100 years . We haven’t had that trial yet , My condolences to all their families.

 

[Caron]

Caron I agree with you some of the sentences do not fit the crimes watched ABC news last night wher the 2 men in W A were sentenced to LIFE for killing 10 year old aboriginal boy with blows to head from metal bars from shopping trolley . 29 year old the judge said showed no remorse but will be out on parole after about 22 years or whatever didn’t show any prospects of being rehabilitated . The younger one would be out on parol earlier . I felt so sorry for the poor mother of the child she was crying thanking the police officers etc . I would have been saying I want the sentences appealed not long enough ! Probably the 2 prisoners will appeal and most likely get it reduced mental health etc I was crying too I felt so sorry for her .LIFE to me should never be released you die there and I hope they suffer mor than the people they murder . Another case is where the man and woman were locked in metal case alive and thrown in dam weighted down with cement . I will probably get jumped on for saying this but BRING back the death penalty . when people have proven without a doubt guilty . I know people have been proven guilty without a body .One case in Hobart when lady was charged for murdering husband on boat . Believe she got 26 years for that out on parol now . I myself never did think she was guilty. The funeral for the policeman in Devonport was on abc news last night first police officer to be killed in the line of duty in over 100 years . We haven’t had that trial yet , My condolences to all their families.

I agree , bring back the death penalty

 

[Veggiepatch]

I have been set on fire.

Here's the result 35 years later.

 

[HelenB55]

OMG Veggiepatch….. what happened?

 

[Veggiepatch]

OMG Veggiepatch….. what happened?

Long story but it has to do with an ongoing war with Lebanese heroin dealers in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Three Lebbos, a plastic milk bottle full of petrol and a lighter gave me tattoos I didn't ask for. Burns to both arms and minor burns to the torso and upper legs.

The whole thing ended up with four deaths before the Lebbos ended up fighting between themselves, resulting in at least nine further deaths.

Google Telopea Street Boys. This is a sugar coated report to what actually happened.

One street paved the way for city's notorious crimes

POLICE don't go to Telopea Street much more these days.

www.smh.com.au

 

[HelenB55]

Veggiepatch…. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

It’s just so sad that there are these type of “animals” amongst us all.

You must have endured so much pain and torture, that others can only imagine.

I will look at the link soon.

Kindest Regards…..Helen.

 

[PattiB]

Caron I agree with you some of the sentences do not fit the crimes watched ABC news last night wher the 2 men in W A were sentenced to LIFE for killing 10 year old aboriginal boy with blows to head from metal bars from shopping trolley . 29 year old the judge said showed no remorse but will be out on parole after about 22 years or whatever didn’t show any prospects of being rehabilitated . The younger one would be out on parol earlier . I felt so sorry for the poor mother of the child she was crying thanking the police officers etc . I would have been saying I want the sentences appealed not long enough ! Probably the 2 prisoners will appeal and most likely get it reduced mental health etc I was crying too I felt so sorry for her .LIFE to me should never be released you die there and I hope they suffer mor than the people they murder . Another case is where the man and woman were locked in metal case alive and thrown in dam weighted down with cement . I will probably get jumped on for saying this but BRING back the death penalty . when people have proven without a doubt guilty . I know people have been proven guilty without a body .One case in Hobart when lady was charged for murdering husband on boat . Believe she got 26 years for that out on parol now . I myself never did think she was guilty. The funeral for the policeman in Devonport was on abc news last night first police officer to be killed in the line of duty in over 100 years . We haven’t had that trial yet , My condolences to all their families.

I agree with you about the lady from Hobart, after all they haven’t found his body. I followed her trial and was surprised when the jury found her guilty. I have always found the death penalty abhorrent, but with so many ghastly crimes happening I’m beginning to change my mind. We have way too many people using mental health as an excuse, which I think is so wrong as it makes it harder for people with genuine problems. I think our young people need to be sorted out when they commit their first crime, not left to move onto being violent criminals. Think I’m getting old, impatient and grumpy, certainly less tolerant of stupidity.

 

[Jest]

give it time, everyone will be physcotic, or have a mental disorder.
it is the flavour of the month or year. anyone who does something naughty all of a sudden is mental. sports people who earn the big dollars, well, just everyone wants the publicity.

 

[Jest]

Long story but it has to do with an ongoing war with Lebanese heroin dealers in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Three Lebbos, a plastic milk bottle full of petrol and a lighter gave me tattoos I didn't ask for. Burns to both arms and minor burns to the torso and upper legs.

The whole thing ended up with four deaths before the Lebbos ended up fighting between themselves, resulting in at least nine further deaths.

Google Telopea Street Boys. This is a sugar coated report to what actually happened.

One street paved the way for city's notorious crimes

POLICE don't go to Telopea Street much more these days.

www.smh.com.au

so many bastards breathing. my best.the happy flower.

 

[Miss Chris]

Long story but it has to do with an ongoing war with Lebanese heroin dealers in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Three Lebbos, a plastic milk bottle full of petrol and a lighter gave me tattoos I didn't ask for. Burns to both arms and minor burns to the torso and upper legs.

The whole thing ended up with four deaths before the Lebbos ended up fighting between themselves, resulting in at least nine further deaths.

Google Telopea Street Boys. This is a sugar coated report to what actually happened.

One street paved the way for city's notorious crimes

POLICE don't go to Telopea Street much more these days.

www.smh.com.au

What an extremely bad experience to live through…..I’m so glad you survived it…….your injuries are bad enough and a constant reminder of that day….thank goodness you survived this…..